Electric switch



Aug. 9, 1927. w. R. WALKER 131 ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed M archb, 1925INVENTOR TORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICEL WARREN R. WALKER, OF GREAT KILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOCOOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed March 5, 1925. Serial No. 13,077.

My present invention relates to electric switches of the liquid flowtype, and to electrodes therefor and to methods of mounting saidelectrodes in the switch. It relates more particularly to compositeelectrodes which-have lead-in portions having characteristics which makethem desirable. for sealing-in through switch envelope walls of materialsuch as glass and terminal portions of material which makes good surfacecontact with the liquid flow material of the switch, such for example asmercury.

I have discovered that an electrode suitable for use in electricswitches of the liquid mid section showing.

flow type having an envelope of glass and a contacting liquid of mercurycan be Cheaply, efficiently, and simply made by making a lead-in portionof a metal of the tungsten group and'connecting thereto as by welding aterminal portion of a metal of the iron group. The lead-in metal,preferably of tungsten, which is admirably suited for sealing-in throughglass particularly through some glasses which are capable ofwithstanding high temperatures and rapid-fluctuations in temperature, ispreferably spot welded to a terminal portion of nickel which amalgamatesto a slight extent at its surface with the mercury and thereby makesgood contact therewith. In some cases I use molybdenum instead of thetungsten and cobalt instead of the nickel, and

in some cases such forexample as when it is desired that therebe noamalgamation between the mercury and the terminal I use iron in placeof' nickel, iron being a metal which makes good surface'contact withmercury.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation- View in mid section of the envelopeof a mercury switch before the electrode of my invention has beenmounted therein,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation view in mid section of an electrodeembody ng my invention mounted in sealed relation to a glass collaradapted-for fusing to the wall of the envelope of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation view in the envelope of Fig. 1 withthe electrode of Fig. 2 sealed thereto, mercury in'the envelope, and theenvelope sealed off,

sealed through the envelope wall.

angle projectionof the device shown in sec:

tion in Fig. 1.

1n the manufacturing of a switch embodying the electrode of my inventionas shown in Fig. 3, a longitudinal envelope 1 has sealed into one endthereof the electrode 2 which extends (so-axially with the envelope forpart of its length and then bends downwardly and again extendslougitudinally near the bottom of said envelope 1. Said electrode 1.4 ispreferably of tungsten and particularly at that part of it which is Nearthe opposite end of the envelope 1 is formed a. hollow bulbousenlargement 3 which extends outwardly and downwardly at the bottomthereof. The envelope wall at this end is in the course of itsmanufacture provided with a flare 4 to receive the convex surface of theseal ring 5 of Fig. 2 through which is sealed the electrode lead 6 whichis preferably of tungsten. At right angles to said lead 6 is fixed as bywelding the electrode terminal 7 preferablyof nickel. Said electrodeterminal 7 and the inner portions of the lead 6 and the ring 5 arefitted into the flare 4 of the envelope 1,the terminal 7 beingsubstantiallycentrally positioned in said enlargement 3 with its lowerend within the confines thereof. The seal ring 5 is then properly fusedand sealed to the wall of the envelope 1 at said flare 4. A quantity ofmercury 9 and, when desired, a. filling of gas such as hydrogen issupplied to the envelope through thetubulation 8 after which theenvelope is properly sealed off at said tabulation. It is to beunderstood that the envelope is properly evacuated of all deleteriousgases before or at the time of the supplying of mercury and hydrogenthereto and before the envelope is sealed Off.

In some casessai-d electrode 2 is made up of a lead-in of tungsten andaterminal of iron, nickel or the like as is said electrode 6, 7, suchwould be the case, for example, when it is desired to save the bendingoperation of the tungsten as well as to save i 1 namely: a good lead-infor achieving a good 'seal with the glass wall of the envelope; an

electrode terminal having qualities of good electric surface contact; asaving in the cost of electrode material through the use of nickel inplace of tungsten at one portionthereof, and a simplification and savingin the form of an angular electrode one part of which is of tungsten.

I claim:

1. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, mercury therein,and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in sealed into saidenvelope and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group welded tosaid lead-in and extending into saidmercury.

2. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, mercury therein,and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in of a metal of thetungsten group sealed into said envelope and aterminal portion of metalof the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into saidmercury.

3. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, a mercurytherein,'and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in of a metal ofthe tungsten group sealed'into said envelope above the level of themercury and a terminal portion of metal of theiron group welded to saidlead-in and extending into said mercury.

4. A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal envelope of glass havingmercury therein, an electrode sealed through the envelope wall andextending into said mercury, an electrode lead-in of tungsten sealedthrough the envelope wall at one end thereof and a terminal portion ofnickel-welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury.

5. A merc'ury switch comprising a longitudinal envelope of glass havinga wall trddes, one of which comprises a lead-in sealed into saidenvelope and a terminal portion of metal of the IIOII group Welded tosaid lead-in and extending into said mercury, and a filling of hydrogenin said envelope.

7. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercurytherein, and electrodes sealed thereinto, one of which comprises alead-in of tungsten sealed into theenvelope and a terminal portion ofnickel spot-welded to the tungsten, and a filling of hydrogen in saidenvelope.

8. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercurytherein, electrodes sealed thereinto one of which comprises a tungstenwire sealed into the envelope and a terminal of nickel Wire fixed to thetungsten.

-9. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercurytherein, electrodes sealed thereinto one of which comprises a tungstenwire sealed into the envelope and a terminal of nickel wire fixed to thetungsten and a filling of hydrogen in said envelope.

10. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercurytherein, and electrodes one of which comprises a lead of tungsten sealedinto the envelope and a terminal thereon of oxygen free nickel.

11. The method of making an electrodefor a mercury device into which itis sealed which comprises welding a nickel terminal portion to atungsten lead-in portion.

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey,March, A. D. 1925.

WARREN R. WALKER.

DISOLALM ER 1,638,131.-Worren R. Wallc er, Great Kills, N. Y: ELECTRICSwrrcn. Patent dated August 9, 1927. Disclaimer, filed May 12, 1931,. bythejassignee, General Electric Vapor Lamp Company,

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5', 6, 10, and 1 1of said patent which are in the following words: 7 v

, 1. A mercury switch comprising'an envelope of glass, mercury therein,and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in sealed into saidenvelope and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group welded tosaid lead-in and extending into said mercury. g

2. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, mercury therein,and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in of a nietal of thetungsten group sealed into said envelope and a terminal portion of metalof the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into saidmercury.

3. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, a mercury therein,and

electrodes, one of which comprises a'lead-in of a metal of the tungstengroup sealed into said envelope above the level of the mercury and aterminal portion of metal of the iron group welded to said lead-in andextending into said mercury. v 4. A mercury switch comprising alongitudinal envelope of glass having mercury therein, anelectrodesealed through the envelope vwall and. extending into said mer-v cury anelectrode lead-in of tungsten sealed through thefienvelope wall at oneend thereofand a terminal portion of nickel Welded to said lead-in andextending into said mercury. 1 I v 5. A mercury switch comprising alongitudinal envelope of glasshaving a well formed therein, mercury insaid envelope, an electrode. sealed through the wall of said e velopeand extending into said mercury, an electrode lead-in of tungsten sealedt rough said Wlill above normal mercury levels and a terminal portion ofnickel welded to said'lead-in and extending intosaid cup. 1

- 6. A mercury switch comprising asealedenvelope of glass, mercurytherein, and

- electrodes, one of which comprises-a lead-in sealed into said envelopeand a terminal portion of metal of the iron group w lded tosaid lead-inand extending into said mercury, and a fillingof hydrogen in saidenvelope.

. 10. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercurytherein, and electrodes one of which comprises a lead of tungsten sealedinto the envelope and a terminal thereon of oxygen free nickel.

' 11. The methodof making an electrode for amercury device intowhich itis sealed which comprises welding a nickel terminal portion to a'tungsten lead-in portion.

[Qflicial Gazette May-26, 1931.]

